Saturday, September 21, 2013

The 100th Sunday Snog / Sharing a Kiss Fundraiser

Sunday, September 22nd through Friday, September 27th!

In my opinion there is nothing as intimate as a kiss, and nothing more memorable than a first kiss. Today I am going to share with you the first kiss between Emily and Rick from my erotic contemporary novella, Skin Deep. First, here's a little about Skin Deep ...

Emily Monroe, a statuesque high school English teacher, is convinced that getting a tattoo to cover the remnants of her brush with Morphea is the only option left to open the door to self-acceptance, allowing her to finally move on with her life after the devastating diagnosis left more than physical scars in its wake.

Rick Sutton, owner of Skin Deep, a successful tattoo shop, has his own cross to bear. Crippling guilt and the specter of unrequited justice overshadow every aspect of his life, trapping him within the haunted corridors of his heart and soul; until the day Emily walks into his shop.

Instantly, he recognizes a kindred spirit in Emily, and a tenuous bond is formed. When the intimidating yet teddy-bear of a man offers her a glimpse into his passionate side, she is moved by what she sees and takes a leap of faith. Together they traverse the physical and emotional journey of freeing themselves of their perceived flaws, an erotic undertaking that proves to them beauty is only Skin Deep.

His
face changed from confusion to anger. "Damn it Em! What the fuck did this
guy do to you?" Stalking towards her, he backed her against the car.
"I know you are upset and at the
risk of crossing another line…"

He
placed his hands against the car, on either side of her face, his lips only inches
from hers, waiting for an answer.

The
night grew silent. Looking up, she held his gaze, blue eyes searching his for
any sign of empathy. He stepped back then, moving his hands to his hips and
staring up at the night sky. Drawing in deep breaths, she could only assume he was
trying to calm himself.

Granted
he seemed an imposing figure in the best of circumstances, but when angry, as he
now appeared, he became even more intimidating. She wasn't afraid of him though,
just the opposite.

Wanting
to answer him, she searched for the words, but they wouldn't come easily. He
waited.

"After
a seven year relationship during which he asked me to marry him several times, I
finally agreed. We set a date, booked a church and planned our reception. We planned
our honeymoon, sent out invitations and then…I was diagnosed with Morphea. I
tried to keep it hidden from him, afraid of his reaction, I guess…you saw him; he's
flawless in an anal, metro sexual sort of way."

Em
searched his face before continuing. The dejected look was still there even
though he tried to hide it. Reaching out, she brushed a stray lock of hair from
his forehead, remembering how he’d come to her rescue tonight.

"One
day, he walked in on me in the bathroom and…God, the look on his face." Fighting
the urge to look away, she recalled the open disgust clearly etched on Daniel's
face. "I had to tell him then
and even though it seemed as if he would be all right with my condition, I
couldn't erase his initial reaction from my mind."

Tears
spilled freely now but she didn't care. "The night of the rehearsal dinner
he surprised me with a heartfelt, romantic toast and for the first time, I actually
allowed myself believe he was okay
with all of this. And then…on the morning of our wedding, I received a text. He
was having cold feet and sorry, but he couldn't go through with it." Embarrassment
colored her cheeks, forcing her to look away.

"What
a son of a bitch! But Em…the minute you
thought you had to hide your condition from him should have been the instant yourealized he wasn’t the man for you. The
guy is a fucking dick! Leaving a woman like you
because of what? A few friggin' spots?" Grumbling under his breath, he
ran those large hands roughly through his hair, the gentle breeze catching
stray strands here and there.

The
raw fury of his rant struck a chord deep within, and without thinking she stood
on tiptoe capturing his face in her palms and kissed him. The gesture,
impulsive and brief, bore the depth and weight of her heartache.

She
jumped back, her ass hitting the car door. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have
done that. I crossed the line this
time and…"

He
quieted her rambling by placing his index finger upon trembling lips. Taking a
step closer, he sent her heartbeat racing within her chest. A little flutter
stirred in the pit of her stomach, along with something else.

The
moment her lips met his, a jolt of electricity tore through her, an instant
response to his proximity. Never had she experienced such a powerful reaction
with Daniel.

Leaning
forward, he cupped her face within large hands. For what seemed like an eternity,
his lips hovered just above hers, his gaze searching for any sign she wanted
him to stop.

It
had been years since Emily had kissed someone, no less wanted to be kissed. After
Daniel's blatant rejection, she’d shut down, allowing herself to feel nothing.

Until Rick. Admittedly, the interest and
curiosity had been there all along, but something about tonight resonated deep
within her soul, touching her heart.

"Don't…don't
kiss me because you feel sorry for me," she said, her voice barely a
ragged whisper.

"I'm
not about to kiss you because I feel sorry
for you." His warm breath danced across her lips.

This is what it should feel like…the earth
shifting under your feet… butterflies in your stomach…heartbeat quickening…that
shiver in your spine…a stirring deep within your very core?

When
Rick slipped his arms around her waist, a shiver coursed through her as their
bodies touched, now face to face, chest to chest, thigh to thigh. A slow heat
simmered just under the surface and she wanted to feel more. Reaching up, she moved
her hands through his hair before wrapping her arms around his neck, urging him
closer, melting into him.

Letting
loose a small sigh, she pressed herself against him, lips parting in invitation,
one he eagerly accepted by delivering a tender yet hungry kiss that promised of
something more, something richer and deeper than she’d ever felt before.

Nothing
else existed but this moment, this stolen moment in a wind-blown parking lot
with a remarkable teddy-bear of a man who made her feel more like a woman than she
had in a decade. The effects of his lips traversed her entire body, from the
top of her head to the tips of her toes and she was lost, in no hurry to be
found.

His
hands moved up and down her back, slow, unassuming. In response, she opened for
him further, Rick tasting dark and dangerous, the feel of his tongue sliding
against hers more sensual than she could have imagined. Drawing in a quick
breath, she slipped deeper into his embrace, raising her arms up and over his
back, her fingers drifting through his thick hair.

The
soft strains of music and laughter drifted towards them on the wind and she
knew this moment was just that, a moment. But one not likely to be forgotten.

When
his lips left hers, they took with him welcome warmth, leaving behind an
all-too familiar chill.

"Kiss
me again?" she whispered and stretched towards him, tentatively brushing
her mouth against his lower lip. Laughing out loud, he pulled her close as his mouth
covered hers in a searching kiss, waking her body as if from a deep sleep.

She
brushed the tip of her tongue across his bottom lip, eliciting a soft moan from
him, and he mimicked her, engaging her in a sensual dance as she lost herself
in his arms once again.

*****

I know there are many blogs to visit, so I won't keep you long. I am giving away several prizes including a PDF copy of Skin Deep and a $10.00 Gift Certificate to Secret Cravings Publishing.

All you need to do to be entered for one of these prizes is leave a comment below. In addition to the above prizes, I will donate $1.00 to Doctors Without Borders for EVERY* kiss left on my blog!

The contest will run from September 22nd through September 27th and end at Midnight, Eastern Standard Time. The winner will be announced and notified by Sunday, 9/29.

Be sure to leave your e-mail address at the end of your comment so I can contact you if you're a winner!